Newman, PM on nose in Ipswich

NO... AND NO: Giant figurines of former premier Campbell Newman (right) and Prime Minister Tony Abbott walk hand in hand outside a polling booth. Neither is popular in Ipswich.DAN PELEDAAP

Politics

Newman, PM on nose in Ipswich

by jgould

Joel Gould
Journalist
Joel is a journalist with 20 years of experience and since February, 2011 he has been the late reporter at The Queensland Times. Joel specialises in longer features and as the late reporter he chases all the breaking stories that unfold in the evenings. A die hard rugby league fan, Joel has been pushing hard for the Western Corridor bid to be admitted into the NRL.

These were the reasons the LNP was sent a stern message and thrown out of the seats of Ipswich and Ipswich West, according to the voters the QT polled at the key booths of Raceview State School and Ipswich High in Brassall.

Renae Cooper, of Raceview, said the electorate "want a change to see if something different can be done for the locals instead of cuts".

"We enjoyed it better when Labor was in power before," she said.

When Mr Newman, the former premier, visited Ipswich on January 19 he said he would not fund the $1.5 million cycling criterium track in Briggs Rd unless local LNP MP Ian Berry was re-elected, even if his government was returned to office.

Ms Cooper said that was unacceptable.

"That is blackmail. It is bullying actually," she said.

Ms Cooper said she wanted to vote for a party that "listens to what the community wants".

Lisa, from Raceview, said cuts to the public service had been "very hard on people", as she had experienced herself. She used to vote LNP but changed her vote to Labor.

"I was made redundant from my job in the public service, and my husband is in the public service and he could lose his job," she said.

"I know we are in a lot of debt and that needs to be sorted but I don't think selling off assets is the answer.

"They need to find a solution where we all work together.

"I don't think Newman really cares about people.

"I think he is ruthless."

North Ipswich man, Steve, usually votes Greens or for an independent candidate but was prepared to give Labor a go "because Campbell Newman has rolled back half of the things Tony Fitzgerald implemented".

He said he was opposed to asset sales and feared manufacturing contracts would go overseas for trams and trains under an LNP government.

Tivoli's Blake Stevens said he was voting Labor.

"It was all right with Labor back in the 1990s. It was perfect back then. So let's go back to how it was," he said.

"I don't want to see assets sold otherwise we will lose jobs."

Tivoli's Amy Kirkwood said federal issues impacted her vote.

"Tony Abbott can't just walk in and change everything," she said.

"We have newborn kids and families and we need to put them first.

"It has been on the news multiple times that they are going to take away Centrelink, but how are we going to live without it?